Governors

We have a very active team of governors who play a hugely important part in the success of our school. Our governors are drawn from different parts of the community including parents and staff and we currently have 2 vacancies, one for a Local Authority appointed governor and the other for a parent governor. Coming from a wide range of employment backgrounds, our governors offer a valuable range of skills that help support the strategic direction of the school.

Our Chair of Governors is Mr Neil Skinner and he can be contacted through his email address which is chair@walton-on-the-hill.surrey.sch.uk.

The full governing body meets at least twice a term to review the performance of the school. Please find listed below the dates of meetings planned for the 2017-2018 academic year:

Wednesday, 27th September, 2017

Wednesday, 15th November, 2017

Wednesday, 17th January, 2018

Wednesday, 21st March, 2018

Wednesday, 25th April, 2018

Wednesday, 27th June, 2018

The Department for Education describes the three core strategic functions of the governing body as ensuring clarity of vision, ethos and strategic direction, holding the headteacher to account for the educational performance of the school and its pupils, the performance management of staff; and overseeing the financial performance of the school and making sure its money is well spent.

When focusing on the welfare and quality of educational provision at our school, our governors consider quantifiable data alongside reports on any social or emotional aspects of children's development. A key priority is to ensure that the school delivers the highest standards of teaching and learning for all of our children. A small team of governors meet at least once a term to guide, monitor and evaluate the delivery of the curriculum and standards of teaching and learning. They check that teaching quality is monitored and that staff development is implemented, and they evaluate the strategies being used to improve attainment. Governors are also responsible for making sure that the spiritual, moral, social and cultural (SMSC) aspects of the curriculum and wider school life are being well delivered.

The governing body has three other important responsibilities: the financial management of the school, maintenance of the school premises and looking after issues concerning the school’s staff, both teaching and non-teaching. The financial management role is an important part of the governors’ overall brief to ensure that children in the school receive the best education possible. In seeking to improve the experience of children within the school, the governors’ need to consider how to get the best value out of the resources they purchase. All at Walton on the Hill Primary School work hard to ensure the school site promotes learning in a safe and effective learning environment and governors work with the Senior Leadership Team to carry out safety audits and learning environment inspections to ensure maintenance is carried out and that we are developing the use of our physical resources. On the staffing side, it is up to the governing body to ensure that we have excellent and well-motivated teaching and non-teaching staff looking after our children. To do that, governors take an active role in the appointment of the Headteacher and Deputy and ensure that all staff develop their skills through training and that their performance is regularly reviewed.

Governors Impact Statement for Academic Year - 2015 / 2016

I was elected as a parent governor in September 2013 and converted to become a co-opted governor when I was elected as chair of governors for the 2017/18 academic year. We’ll be looking to recruit a local authority governor early in this school year to get the governing body back to full numbers. Key activities this year include making sure we continue to realise synergies with other local schools (including understanding local Academy group opportunities) and ensuring the school uses the funds it has available in the best interests of the children in its care.

I have 2 children in the school and work in network engineering for a mobile telecommunications company.

I joined the governing body in 2011 as a local authority governor. Post reconstitution in July 2015, I became a co-opted governor and began a new four year term of office which will finish on 19/07/19 and my specific area of curriculum responsibility is maths. I have three children, now all at the school, and I work for a multinational financial services company overseeing the implementation of new clients across one of our product lines. This involves elements of project management, governance, financial discipline and risk mitigation, all disciplines that are helpful in my role as school governor.

Andy Downing - Parent Governor

Meet Andy Downing: Science Governor & Link for High Attainers

I have been a parent governor since the autumn term 2013 and my term of office finishes on 07/11/17. Both my sons are now pupils and I have thoroughly enjoyed learning about, and hopefully contributing a little towards, the leadership of our fantastic school. I have become link governor responsible for science and also for high attaining pupils. Outside school, I am a small animal vet and I also enjoy ornithology, pottering round the garden growing a few vegetables, and the occasional game of golf.

I was elected a parent governor in November 2013 but following reconstitution became a co-opted governor for a four year term from July 2015 which will finish on 19/07/19. My son left Walton last year for secondary school and my daughter is in Year 6 and I work as an information architect. My aim is to ensure that the school has the resources and support needed to provide a caring and positive environment which enables all children to reach their full potential. I have completed specific training linked to recent changes in Special Educational Needs & Disabilities and have been working closely with the school's SENDCo on developing related policies and the school's approach to the delivery of SEND14. I was also appointed Vice Chair for the 2017/18 academic year.

I have just completed a teacher training scheme and am now classteacher in Year 4, having previously worked as a TA in the school. I was elected a staff governor for four years from September 2014 until 14/09/18. I now only have one child in the school as my elder two have moved on to secondary education. My previous career was in journalism and I am delighted to be able to use this expertise by working with a team of children to produce the school newspaper 'The Walton Rocket'. I am also keenly interested in all sport and in addition to supporting school teams both at home and away, I helped to run an after school cross country club.

Meet Samantha Parnell: Parent Governor

I was elected as a parent governor for a 4 year term of office commencing on 02/10/17 and I am a local mum and business person with an entrepreneurial spirit! I have recently sold a successful worldwide business which I ran from Walton for 10 years. My husband Dickon and I have two children at Walton Primary and I am on the PTA and have been a Girl Guiding leader. We enjoy services at St Peter's Church and I am an active member of the community and regularly arrange village events. With the above in mind, I'm confident I will complement the current board of governors and my business acumen with support the staff, children and school.

In addition to the governors shown above, Richard Laing, Deputy Headteacher was appointed a co-opted governor in July 2015 for a four year term up until 19/07/19 and Timothy Samuel, Headteacher is an ex officio governor.

Committees and Governor Membership

The governing body has three committees with specific responsibilities and these are listed below: